1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hand-actuated noisemaking devices, and, more particularly, to noisemaking devices that, when attached to the hands and shaken or clapped together, cause a metal ringer portion of each device to emit a ringing sound.
2. General Background
Sports fans, as well as participants at political rallies, weddings, New Year's Eve parties and other kinds of events, enjoy expressing their excitement and enthusiasm by clapping, shouting, stomping, horn blowing and other means of generating noise. My invention, which is intended for making noise at any of those kinds of occasions, provides a device that may be held in the palm of the hand—preferably one device in each hand—and shaken or clapped together to generate a metallic, ringing sound. The device creates noise in two ways. First, the device includes a ball that is captured between a base and metallic ringer such that shaking the device makes the ball repetitively strike the ringer, causing the ringer to emit a ringing sound. Second, when the devices are clapped together so that the ringer of one device strikes the ringer of another device, the ringers likewise emit metallic rings.
Prior to my invention, a variety of devices were known for creating noise at sporting and other kinds of events. U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,238 to Gonzalez disclosed a clapping apparatus comprising a knob-like handle fastened to a clapping plate; a pair of the devices could be clapped together to generate noise by impact of the plates against each other.
U.S. Pat. D577,390 S to Collier disclosed a hand-held noisemaker comprising a first, hemispherical half for the palm of the left hand and a second, hemispherical half for the palm of the right hand, which halves, when held together resemble the appearance of a basketball, and when struck against each other emit noise. Similarly, U.S. Pat. D565,125 S to Collier disclosed a hand-held noisemaker comprising two halves that together mimic the appearance of a football. Attachment to the hands of Collier's basketball and football noisemakers was by insertion of the index, middle and fourth fingers underneath straps attached to outer surfaces of each of the noisemaker halves.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2009/0100572 A1 of Jones disclosed a pair of gloves for achieving a louder clapping sound. Noisemaking members, preferably made of a firm plastic or other rigid polymer, were affixed to the palm and fingers of each glove.
U.S. Patent Application No. US 2009/0077712 A1 of Polucha et al. disclosed a hand-held, noisemaking device comprising a pair of gloves, the palm region of each glove being provided with a dome-shaped, hollow member formed of a rigid sound transmitting material. The hollow member extended upwardly from the surface of the palm portion of the glove so that, when the hollow members were clapped together, noise was generated.
U.S. Patent Application No. US 2003/0224689 A1 of Jenkins disclosed a food or drink container integrated with a noisemaking device. An enclosure containing at least one pellet was provided that, after the food or beverage was consumed, made noise when shaken as a fan cheered for a sports team.